The invention relates to a poultry drinker, a shroud for use with the poultry drinker, and a method of protecting the poultry drinker--and enhancing its versatility--using a shroud.
In conventional poultry drinkers, such as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,685,495, 4,196,699, and 4,323,036 (the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein) typically a bell having a watering trough at the bottom thereof comprises a main component of the drinker. The drinker also includes a valve means having a valve body and a valve member for allowing or preventing flow of liquid through the valve body to the trough. The bell and valve means are operatively interconnected so that the bell is movable (vertically reciprocal) with respect to the valve body, the relative movement taking place depending upon the amount of water in the trough, and the movement effecting actuation or deactuation of the valve member to allow the flow of water through the valve body and over the exterior periphery of the bell into the trough.
While poultry drinkers of the type described above have been very commercially successful, there are a number of drawbacks associated therewith. One major drawback is the contamination of the water flowing into the trough that can result from the contamination of the bell external periphery as a result of normal exposure to environmental conditions in a poultry house or the like. Typically the external periphery of the bell becomes coated with dust, grime, and other contaminants, and then when the water periodically flows over the bell external periphery it picks up the contaminants and delivers them to the trough, for ultimate consumption by the poultry. This problem is typically dealt with--when addressed at all--in poultry houses by having labor periodically wipe off the bell external periphery. This procedure can be relatively costly, and in addition can result in damage to the drinker if the laborer is not cautious in effecting the wiping.
Another drawback associated with conventional poultry drinkers, as described above, is that the shape of the bell is often less than optimum from the functional standpoint in order to achieve a desired aesthetic impression. Bells are often constructed in such a manner so that they are not properly stackable, or are not made with the absolute minimal amount of material given the trough dimensions desired, in favor of aesthetics.
Still another drawback associated with prior art poultry drinkers is excessive squirting and splashing of the water as it is delivered toward the trough. If the water pressure in the water source with which the drinker is associated is too high, this can often cause the water to be emitted from the valve means so that it sprays all over the poultry house or the like, rather than flowing neatly down the bell into the trough. This has been dealt with in the commercial art by providing particularly directed passageways, or accessory splash rings or the like, with variable results.
According to the present invention a poultry drinker is provided which does not have any of the drawbacks mentioned above. According to another aspect of the invention a shroud is provided for use with a poultry drinker in order to eliminate the above drawbacks, and according to yet another aspect a method of enhancing the desired functionality of a poultry drinker--utilizing a shroud--is provided.
The basic feature according to the present invention comprises a shroud adapted to be disposed substantially concentric with the drinker bell, and disposed externally thereof. The shroud is mounted with respect to the bell so that it is spaced from the bell over substantially the entire area of the bell, and protects the bell from contamination. Thus the water flowing over the bell surface will always have a substantially clean pathway, and since the external surface of the shroud will never come in contact with the water it need never be cleaned. Also, the provision of the shroud allows the bell to be constructed in a manner so that it has optimum functionality. For instance the bell can be construced so that it utilizes the minimum amount of material given a particular trough diameter, and so that it has maximum stackability. Any desired aesthetic affect can be provided by the shroud.
The shroud also inherently provides a splash-preventing function. The shroud is typically disposed so that it completely covers (while not interferring with) the passageway providing water from the valve to flow over the external periphery of the bell. Thus if the water pressure is too high, instead of the water spraying all over the poultry house or the like, it impacts the internal periphery of the shroud and then properly flows down the external periphery of the bell, into the trough.
The shroud according to the present invention preferably comprises a plastic bell having an opening at the top thereof generally concentric with the bell opening, and having a substantially flat bottom. The shroud can be of a different colored plastic than the bell so as to provide varied aesthetic affects, and the bell can be made so that it is stackable in an ultra-low volume configuration for easy shipment. The shroud may be releasably supported on the drinker valve body, or a hanger for supporting the valve body, by a radially extending flange or the like, and a collar may also be provided defining the opening at the top of the shroud, with the flange, or removable fasteners, associated with the collar.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide for the enhanced functionality of a poultry drinker or the like. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention, and from the appended claims.